Sample Sale Extended One More Week

If you receive our newsletters you know that we’ve been running a blow-out clearance sale on samples and overstock items. Since the weather has been down right ugly, we’re extending the sale for one additional week. So you all have until 1/29 to stop in and grab some really cheap goodies. The sale rack items are priced at $20 and $40. That’s about 75% off!!! The items are mostly last spring season so you can get a jump on the weather. We have quantity on are a couple above the knee straight skirts. One in camel the other black. As well as a couple knitted linen tops like our Hazel top pictured below, a gray/cream combo that is a good layering piece. You can wear it now as a vest with a black turtleneck or save until June with a great pair of white jeans.

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TV Spot – Made in Chicago Store

Channel 5, NBC here in Chicago did a little piece on the Made in Chicago Store last  night. Thought you might want to take a look. There are a couple shots of Killion product shown (not attributed). One is the boat neck tee with the horizontal pleating. Shown in charcoal. (Not sure who made the bright pink flower pin) The other is the pleat neck tunic in light gray. It’s shown on the right side of the window shot. Sure wish they would have mentioned the store address … (???)

Made in Chicago Store

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New Knit Vest, New Knit Top

Wanted to give you all a preview of two of the new pieces you’ll see at the One of a Kind Show. The vest is already selling well at the AIBI Pop-Up Store. This photo was taken in that space. The brown top is also a knit, this time a soft, drapey jersey. As you can imagine, we’re deep into all the show prep.

Notched Collar Vest

Shirred Neck Top

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Made In Chicago – The Store

I wanted to share a little info on a fun new project I’m participating in later this month – a pop up store. The city of Chicago, the Apparel Industry Board, and The Shops at North Bridge have teamed up to sponsor a shop for this holiday season. 21 Chicago apparel and accessory designers have been chosen to showcase their product for the inaugural season. Here’s a quick peek at the postcard. I’ll be sharing some additional info soon with opening details, a trunk show date, and I hear that there may even be some TV coverage…

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Killion in Time Out!

Wanted to share a lovely bit of press we got today from Time Out magazine. This is in both the print and online version of the magazine.

http://timeoutchicago.com/shopping-style/shopping/14965975/killion-opens-in-lincoln-park

Great picture isn’t it!

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Store is open!!!

Finally got this darn thing open!!!!! I guess store openings are a lot like home remodeling, takes twice as long and 50% more cash than you planned. Still little tweaks here and there – the internet comes and goes, one wall fixture that doesn’t want to stay on the wall, bar code scanner won’t scan – but we are actually in working condition. Opened the doors gently about noon on Sat. Now have to get adjusted to the next phase, letting everyone know that we exist!

Here is one step in that long and on-going process called marketing. Watch for another in the next few days as we send out a note about an opening party! Hope you’ll stop and say hello.

New Killion Store

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I’ve got a store!

Finally … Was starting to doubt this was going to happen but I’ve actually signed on the dotted line. A nice boutique space in Lincoln Park. Perfect manageable size. Now the to-do list just trippled! Minor construction under way, working on fixtures, product, cash wrap, POS system, signage, awning, decor, marketing, staffing …

Not much to show off yet but here’s a photo of the mess just for fun!

store in process

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Sample Sale!

I’m prepping today for the Sassy City Chicks Sample Sale event. It’s one of those fun grab your girlfriends and drink while you shop things. Trying to figure out how to tag and price for an event like this. Don’t know what lighting is like at this venue or the crowd level. Always a little tough when you haven’t done an event before to know what to bring, how to set up, do you need help, etc. Haven’t even been able to get info on accommodations for a fitting room. I usually assume I need to provide but we’ve got a really tight load in/set up window so less is more. Also this is a sample sale so I’ve been told to stuff the racks with bargains. The sample sales I’ve been to were in NY and basically were an open room with racks. Gals would grab armfuls of stuff without trying them on or strip down to the skivvies in the aisle and call it a day. I suspect this will be a notch higher in presentation and modesty but wearing a cami to the event is not a bad idea, hint, hint.

If you didn’t get my email and want to come on down Thursday night, let me know as I have a code for free admission I can give you.

Click through for the details – Sassy City Chicks – Chicago

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Retail Recovery or Do We Really Need Another National Chain?

I had hoped to be able to make a big announcement this month – an address for my first store. Yep I’m going retail. Did you notice the word “hoped” in that first sentence?

Spent January and February finessing a business plan (this has been a back burner thought for quite some time so lot of the work was done). March I started in earnest scoping out the various neighborhoods that were likely candidates. Pulling demographic info, watching traffic patterns, scoping out prices on available commercial space. All the while continuing to working on designing and building adequate inventory to stock and meet sales goals. Narrowed my choices to 3 neighborhoods, started making appointments to see the spaces, and working out rough plans for layout, fixturing, etc.

It seemed so straight forward. I’d done my homework. I know my customer. I have proven product. I have the money. I have finished goods to sell. I have store design plans well thought out. I have almost everything in place. Except the space.

That’s right in this recovering economy I can’t find retail space. I’ve seen spaces without air conditioning. Spaces with bathrooms in the middle of the selling floor. Rising prices. I’ve been scooped several times now by national retailers who have discovered neighborhood shopping (I’m holding my tongue on that concept …grr). I learned of a Walmart planned for 3 doors down from one space I was considering. (Yes a Walmart in downtown Chicago – cool, hip art gallery hood Chicago) And the latest kicker was the space that wasn’t really available. It was just a store owner/broker who thought it cool to use my offer as a way to pressure her landlord to lower her rent. Offer withdrawn!

I don’t know if I should feel good or bad about what’s happening. On the plus side, it says my instincts on location and timing are spot on. It says retail is showing recovery. On the minus side, it’s national guys continuing to infiltrate neighborhood shopping streets and driving prices up and independents out. I’m not being scooped by boutique owners, it’s chains. So no announcements yet on a space. I’m sitting in a holding pattern waiting for something to open up. Trying to figure out how long to wait and what compromise I’m willing to make. Do a go to a less desirable location? Do I go for a larger store and/or higher price tag and the risk associated with that? No answers right now, just frustration. Will keep you posted!

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It’s all Shop Local

I always take reading material with me when I travel. For this past weekend’s trip to Boston I brought a Harvard Business Review book on retailing. Gripping right? Well I’m on this chapter that discusses merchandising optimization systems. I told you it was exciting stuff. It’s an academic way to say software that helps stores plan and forcast. This stuff is way, way, way beyond my needs but it’s still a subject that I’m struggling with. What colors, sizes, styles do I need to cut and how many? How do I shift inventory for the regional differences when I travel to shows?

It was really an interesting coincidence to be reading this during my Boston show as there were very clear fashion trends in the crowd. Clogs, the color green, and streaks. By streaks I mean women of all ages with blue, purple, or red streaks in their short hair. None of this was something that was a directly influencing sales pattern for me but there was a clear sizing trend that was the opposite of my last east coast show. That did hurt my sales because I simply didn’t bring enough in the sizes that these ladies needed.

Tough to know in advance of course if you don’t have history in a market but lost sales aren’t a good result. Forecasting software isn’t in my future but this certainly is a reminder of the importance of documenting what you’re selling down to the sku, thinking bigger than you are, and the value of a good old fashioned spreadsheet.

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